Aloo Gobi – Cauliflower & Potato Curry with Chickpea Flour Pancake

Serves 4 for large mains or 8 as a side

For the curry

1 large onion roughly chopped

1 heaped tsp grated ginger 

2 cloves garlic roughly chopped

1 green chilli roughly chopped

1 tin chopped tomatoes 

1 small cauliflower cut into bite size pieces

2 medium potatoes cut into small dice (bite size)

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 tbs sunflower or coconut oil

1/2 tsp turmeric (or haldi)

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp garam masala

Salt and pepper

Water

Half bunch chopped coriander and yoghurt to serve

Chickpea Pancake

Serves 2 as a main

1/2 cup chickpea flour

Sunflower oil

Water

Salt and pepper

Heaped tbs chopped coriander

Method

Cook the potatoes until just tender, just before they are ready add the cauliflower for the last couple of minutes, they should be pretty crunchy still. Drain and set aside.

Heat a Le Creuset on number 6. Meanwhile put the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli in a jug and use the stick blender to make a paste or chuck it in the food processor in the smallest part and blitz. 

Add the oil to the pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds and fry until popping a little, then add the onion paste and fry for a few mins. Add the tinned tomatoes, and the powdered cumin, curry and garam masala and stir well, cook for a few mins stirring regularly. Add some water to slacken off the paste and add the potato and cauliflower to the pan. Stir and turn the heat down to 4 maybe 3, it should just be gently cooking, not boiling.

Heat a large black frying pan on 7. Put the chickpea flour in a medium bowl and add about 1/4 cup water and stir well with a fork to make a smooth paste. Then add some more water you want the mix to be about the consistency of single cream/pancake batter. Add the coriander and season well. 

Add some oil to the frying pan (about 1/2 tbs) and swish around. Add the pancake mix and turn the pan so it is well distributed. Leave until you can see bubbles forming and bursting and that the bottom is brown (it will be about 4-5 mins) then flip over with a fish knife. You might need to add a little more oil…

Check the seasoning of the curry and add more garam masala if needed and some more water if it is too thick. 

Serve with the pancake cut into triangles and some yoghurt and fresh coriander on top. 

Lentil, Pumpkin, Spinach & Chickpea Soup/Dahl

250g red lentils

1700ml cold water

1 chicken or veg stock cube

1.5 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tbs olive oil

1 medium white onion, finely diced

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 red chilli finely chopped (or 2 tsp dried flakes)

200g of pumpkin/squash peeled and diced into small cubes

1 small tin chickpeas (or about 2/3 jar) rinsed

1 tbs tomato puree

Black pepper and salt

Fresh spinach (4 large handfuls) washed and chopped

Put the lentils, water, stock and turmeric in a large pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and skim off any scum that forms. (use a black pan so the turmeric doesn’t stain and don’t use wooden spoons).

Heat a frying pan on a medium heat for a few mins and add the mustard and fennel seeds, toast until they start moving/jumping around the pan. Add the olive oil, a good pinch of salt and the onion and fry until soft. Add the ginger, chilli flakes and the puree and cook for a couple of mins. 

When the lentils are cooked add the onion and spice paste to the pan with the squash and cook for another 10-15 mins until the squash is cooked through and then add the chickpeas and warm for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat, add the spinach and stir well and check the seasoning. 

Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and or some natural yoghurt on top.

Harissa Roast Vegetable & Feta on Chickpea & Spinach

Serves 3

1 large sweet potato

4 medium turnips

1 red onion

1 desert spoon harissa pasta

1 tbs olive oil

1 jar chickpeas

1 chicken or veg stock cube

3 large hand fulls of spinach, washed and shredded washed thoroughly

1 tbs each chopped coriander and mint

Seeds from half a pomegranate 

150g feta cheese

1 small fat free yoghurt

1.5dsp lemon juice

1dsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 210ºC fan

Peel the veg. Cut the onions into wedges (in half and into 6) and the sweet potato and turnip into chunks. Put into a large bowl and mix with the harissa and olive oil. Spread out onto a flat baking tray and cook for 20 mins, remove the onion and retain and flip the veg and cook for another 10 mins.

Mix the stock cube with about 200ml of boiling water. Put the chickpeas in a pan and add the stock and warm through for a few mins on a medium heat. Once warm, mash approx 1/3 of the chickpeas to absorb the water and thicken the mix and stir in the spinach and the retained roasted red onions.

To make the dressing, mix the yoghurt with lemon juice to taste and season. Add the olive oil and stir to combine.

Plate up with the chickpea and spinach mix on the base and drizzle over some dressing. Add the roasted veg and more dressing and finish with crumbling on the feta, and sprinkling over the herbs and pomegranate seeds. 

A few seeds or chopped nut are nice sprinkled on top